FirstLight Home Care, an in-home health care business, opened its first center in the Valley area on Dec. 9. Led by Calabasas resident Shabana Ahamed, the center at 6320 Canoga Ave. in Woodland Hills provides a base of operations for roughly 60 caregivers to train and recruit others. The health care business has seven other locations in Los Angeles County, four in Orange County and one in Riverside County, according to Jamie Davis, executive director at FirstLight. Under the company business plan, caregivers provide non-medical care to seniors, veterans and people living with disabilities. Services can range from surgery care recovery, helping a new mom around the house or preparing a meal. For Ahamed, memories of invaluable caregivers around the home after her mother suffered a life-changing accident made her passionate about the industry. “She was in the hospital for five years. She had 17 surgeries,” Ahamed explained. “I was a teenager and getting my education as well, but I was taking care of my mom and my siblings. We always hired caregivers because it’s not easy for mom to be in the hospital for five years.” Ahamed’s husband brought home an advertisement for FirstLight, and the couple soon were hooked by the company’s culture of care, support of franchisees and health care technology. “We don’t do skilled care. We’re not home health, we’re home care, which is different,” said Davis. “Our visits are lengthier. Our typical client gets about 20 hours per week, so that means several hours a day in the home working with the client, versus the physical therapy visit that might be 45 minutes to a half hour, or a nursing visit which is even shorter in most cases.” Territories are based on a population of 250,000 to 280,000. Ahamed’s Valley territory covers Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Tarzana, Winnetka, Woodland Hills and Northridge. Roughly 18 percent of the San Fernando Valley population is 65 and older, Ahamed said, and most want to stay in their homes. It’s much less expensive than a nursing home too. The national average spent on a room and meals in a nursing home is $100,000 a year, Davis said. For comparison, a home care business like FirstLight costs roughly $20,000 to $22,000 per year. About 85 percent of FirstLight’s clients pay out-of-pocket, but the business also accepts long-term care insurance. Davis said he also works with the Veterans Administration and Medicare Advantage once it comes online next year.
